1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bi-fold mounted printed wiring board.
2. Background Information
A mounted printed wiring board on which for example light sensors are mounted is employed in an electronic image forming device in order to detect paper that is transported by a paper transport device. In addition to the light sensors, mounted components whose heights from the mounting surface are taller than those of the light sensors must also be mounted on the printed wiring board.
The light sensors must be disposed within a predetermined distance from the paper transport path in order to attain a predetermined detection accuracy. However, when there are mounted components on the mounted printed wiring board whose heights are taller than those of the light sensors, the tall mounted components will become obstacles, and thus the light sensors cannot be placed at a distance from the paper transport path that is optimal for paper detection.
In order to solve this problem, the light sensors can be installed close to the paper transport path without being mounted on the mounted printed wiring board.
In addition, it is also possible to solve this problem by employing a two sided mounted printed wiring board in which some or all of the mounted components having heights that are the same as or lower than those of the light sensors are mounted on one side of the mounted printed wiring board, and the remaining mounted components (including those having heights that are higher than those of the light sensors and the connectors) are mounted on the opposite side of the mounted printed wiring board.
Furthermore, the aforementioned problem can be solved by means of the method disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 2003-8956, in which a board on which some or all of the mounted components having heights that are the same as or smaller than those of the light sensors are mounted on one side thereof, and a board on which the remaining mounted components (including those having heights that are taller than those of the light sensors and the connectors) are mounted on the opposite side, are connected together with a flexible substrate, folded at the location of the flexible substrate, and then assembled.
However, with the method in which the light sensors are installed in a device separately from the board, a great deal of time and effort will be needed for installation.
In addition, with the method in which a two sided mounted printed wiring board is employed, the process of mounting the components is complex, and thus manufacturing costs will increase.
Furthermore, with the method in which the board is divided into two, connected together with a flexible substrate, and has mounted components such as light sensors and the like mounted thereon, a great deal of time and effort will be needed during installation because the two boards must be fixed to the device, and it will be quite difficult to lower costs because expensive components such as a flexible substrate are employed.
An object of the present invention is to provide a mounted printed wiring board that will solve the problems with the prior art, that will allow sensors to be installed in optimal positions thereon with the same time and effort needed to install one board, and allow the same to be inexpensively manufactured with a simple process.